The Silence After
by NiftyPaint24
Summary: *drabbles* Sesshomaru finds that he's too late. Cannon.
1. The Silence After

Title: The Silence After  
Author: NiftyPaint24

Theme: Arrow (dokuga contest's weekly perfection #15)  
Genre: General

Rating: PG

Warnings: I don't think there's anything...  
Word Count: 300

Summary: Sesshomaru finds that he's too late. Cannon.

**THE SILENCE AFTER**

Sesshomaru stepped through the clinging underbrush and into a clearing. What had once been a picturesque meadow was now nothing more then scared earth. There hardly remained a patch of grass that was not damaged, burned, or uprooted. Several trees were mangled, their once proud branches now littered the surrounding area. It was apparent that the hanyou had used the Wind Scar on multiple occasions. Sesshomaru slowly scanned the clearing, easily picking out the signs of battle, the image of what had transpired playing across his mind's eye.

The monk had used his wind tunnel, judging by the large boulders that now rested where they previously had not. There were chunks of demon flesh, obviously hacked away by the female demon slayer's weapon. Then his eyes fell upon the arrows. They sporadically dotted the clearing, buried deep within the bark of trees, some were half hidden in the earth, with only part their shaft remaining above ground. She had fought hard. They all had.

He made his way towards a tree where one of the miko's arrows had stuck. Her power had long since faded from it's shaft, rendering it all but useless against someone like himself. He touched the worn feathers at it's end before running his fingers down the shaft and then pulled it from the tree. He held it at his side as he turned his attention back to the clearing. There was an area, not far from where he stood, where the grass had been flattened as if an animal had bedded down there. He knew better. As he moved closer the scent of blood reached his sensitive nose. There was the monk, the hanyou, the demon slayer, and...the miko. Hers was the most prevalent. They had all been grievously wounded. Yet, non remained here.


	2. Searching

Title: Searching  
Author: NiftyPaint24

Theme: Gasp (weekly perfection #16)  
Genre: General

Rating: PG

Warnings: eh...  
Word Count: 200

Summary: Sesshomaru seeks answers.

A/N: Sequel to The Silence After.

**Searching**

Unsure of exactly _why_ he felt compelled to, Sesshomaru followed the scent of the wounded group until it led him to a village nestled in the forest that bore his half brother's name. It didn't take him long to discern which of the huts the group was located in. Or at least, what was left of the group. He pushed the reed mat that covered the doorway aside and stepped into the dimly it hut.

Sango let out a startled gasp when her eyes focused on the demon lord standing in the doorway. Miroku instinctively reached for his staff, then cursed his foolishness for leaving it near the doorway. Not that it would have been much use against Sesshomaru.

"Where are the hanyou and the miko?"

His question caught all three of them by surprise. It was Miroku who decided to answer.

"Kagome's wounds were too severe for us to treat here. Inuyasha took her home."

"Is this not her home?"

"No. Her home is on the other side of the bone eater's well." Sango answered slowly, unsure about how much information they should divulge on the subject.

"Explain." He demanded. He would not be denied the information he sought.


	3. Unexpected Truth

Title: Unexpected Truth  
Author: NiftyPaint24

Theme: Mist (weekly perfection #17)  
Genre: General

Rating: G

Warnings: Eh...none  
Word Count: 400

Summary: Cannon. Sesshomaru finds himself waiting.

A/N: A continuation of _The Silence After_ and _Searching._

**Unexpected Truth**

Sesshomaru would have laughed at the monk and slayer's explanation of why the hanyou and miko were missing, that is _if_ such actions were not beneath him. Their explanation was ridiculous. He questioned their sanity, for they seemed to truly believe their own ludicrous story. They had spoken with such conviction and did not show the slightest sign of leading him on with false information. So he had been slightly inclined to believe them. He now questioned his own sanity for here he stood, looking into the depths of the bone eater's well, waiting for something, anything to prove the monk and slayer's story.

At first he had decided that he had received the answer to his original question, they had survived the fight with the demons. At least for now. As far as if the miko would survive or not, he would not know until the hanyou came back with that information. He had little confidence that she _could_ survive from the information the monk had given him concerning her injuries. She was only human after all. He had been quite content to return to patrolling his lands but new questions nagged at him. He only made it as far as two miles before curiosity won out and he made the trek back to the outskirts of the small village and to the well itself. Mist clung to its dark depths making it seem as if the well did indeed have a secret to reveal to him. After ten minutes of staring down the well without anything _what so ever_ occurring, he gave up and turned to leave.

"It is as I suspected it would be." His words were spoken aloud even though he was the only one present in the meadow.

As he reached the tree line he felt a strong aura pressing against his senses. He looked over his shoulder when he realized it was coming from the well. A few seconds later his half brother's foul stench reached his nose. As if on cue, as soon as Sesshomaru turned around to face the well once more, Inuyasha jumped from its depths, landing easily on its wooden ledge. Both looked at one another in muted shock. One surprised that the fantastic tale of time travel through the well was indeed true and the other because his half brother had just witnessed him coming back from Kagome's time.


	4. What Why How

Title: What Why How  
Author: NiftyPaint24

Theme: Regret (weekly perfection #18)  
Genre: General

Rating: PG

Warnings: Inuyasha's 'colorful' vocabulary.  
Word Count: 200

Summary: The brothers attempt to gain information from one another.

A/N: Installment 4 of _The Silence After_.

**What Why How**

Inuyasha, for once, was at a loss for words. How exactly was he suppose to explain where he just came from? Kagome had told him the fewer the people that knew, the better. So what was he suppose to say when Sesshomaru asked why he had just jumped out of the well. He liked hanging out at the bottom of it? He _had_ to have felt the spiritual pressure when Inuyasha crossed over. Wait a second...

"What the hell are _you_ doing here?" Inuyasha barked.

Sesshomaru eyed his half-brother wearily. He did not feel the need to explain himself, nor should he, but still. He felt compelled to know more about what was on the other side of the portal that took the form of an old abandoned well.

"You returned from the miko's time." It was a statement. Not a question.

"How the _fuck_ do you know about that?!" Inuyasha yelled, reeling from his brother's statement.

Sesshomaru resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He instantly regretted even speaking with the hanyou, who always managed to fling around expletives. He knew he had received more information from the monk and slayer then he would from his younger brother.


	5. Who Are You Again?

Title: Who Are You Again?  
Author: NiftyPaint24

Theme: Echo (weekly perfection #19)  
Genre: General

Rating: PG

Warnings: Eh...  
Word Count: 300

Summary: Sesshomaru and Inuyasha continue their conversation. (if you could call it that)

A/N: Installment 5 of _The Silence After_.

**Who Are You Again?**

Without saying a word, Sesshomaru stepped forward, past Inuyasha and stopped at the well. He peered down into it's depths much like he'd done before. It looked exactly the same. If he had not witnessed Inuyasha's arrival, he would not have believed that it had happened at all. '

_'What am I doing?'_

"What the hell are you doing?" Inuyasha angrily echoed Sesshomaru's thoughts.

Sesshomaru was _definitely_ acting off. Why was he so obsessed with the stupid well? How had he even found out about it? Inuyasha's thoughts raced while Sesshomaru turned to face him once more, but without providing an answer to his question.

"Has the miko survived?" Sesshomaru asked suddenly.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha asked, actually cocking his head to the side in confusion. "Why? How did you even know she was hurt?"

"Has she survived?" Sesshomaru repeated more sternly.

"Keh." Inuyasha grumbled in frustration. "Yeah, but why do you care?"

"The monk and slayer implied that her injuries were grievous."

"You talked to Miroku and Sango? About Kagome?" Inuyasha asked in shock.

Sesshomaru was finding this entire conversation exhausting. Could the hanyou not simply answer his questions? It was like attempting to converse with a wild monkey. Resolving that indulging his younger brother my lead to the answers he sought, he inclined his head. Deciding that was a sufficient enough answer, he inquired again about the miko's health. Still unsure of why he even cared about the subject to begin with.

"How was it that she managed to survive her injuries?"

"The...doctors at the hospital...are you sure you're Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha asked, wondering if the being in front of his really was his older brother.

Where was this sudden concern for someone other then himself coming from? And why the hell was it Kagome he was so concerned about?!


	6. Return

Title: Return

Author: NiftyPaint24

Theme: 'Flash'- Weekly Perfection #21  
Genre: General

Rating: PG-ish

Warnings: Nothing...  
Word Count: 300

Summary: Kagome returns causing Inuyasha to fret and Sesshomaru's curiosity to heighten.

A/N: Installment #6 of _The Silence After_. Written for Dokuga Contest's Weekly Perfection Theme 'Flash'. _**Joint thrid place winner for week 21!**_

**Return**

As Inuyasha attempted to come up with a believable explanation for his brother's sudden interest in Kagome, Sesshomaru was contemplating what could possibly happen if he attempted to pass through the well himself. Both were stopped mid-thought as the familiar spiritual pressure of the well spiked suddenly. They both watched as there was a brilliant flash of blue light that was gone as quickly as it came. Kagome's scent caught both of their attention. Inuyasha jumped towards the well, obviously worried. Sesshomaru, who had been closer to the well, peered into it with unhidden curiosity. Kagome looked up at them with the briefest of smiles before she frowned and yelled up at them.

"Are the two of you going to just stand up there, or are you going to help me out of here?"

Inuyasha reacted at once, leaping over the weather-warn edge of the well and landed softly at her side. He carefully picked her up, mindful of her injuries, before leaping out of the well for the second time that day. He set her down as carefully as he had picked her up and began checking her over.

"Are you okay?" He asked as he tenderly gripped her shoulders.

"Yeah." Kagome answered wearily. "Tiered, bruised, and a little confused, but I'm okay."

Inuyasha hardly listened to her after her initial 'yeah'.

"You shouldn't be here!" He said gruffly. "You just barely came home from that hospital place. You're not suppose to leave your bed."

Kagome had to fight the urge to roll her eyes.

_'He's protective _now_.'_ She thought sarcastically.

"Why did you come back?" He demanded.

Kagome gave an exasperated sigh, then looked over at Sesshomaru who was watching their interaction with mild interest.

"_He_ told me to." Kagome offered as if it explained everything.


	7. Information Minus The Information

Title: Information Minus The Information  
Author: NiftyPaint24

Theme: Lock (weekly perfection #22)  
Genre: General/Humor-ish

Rating: G

Warnings: Not a thing.  
Word Count: 200

Summary: Kagome relays an important message to Sesshomaru.

A/N: Installment #7 of _The Silence After_. Written for Dokuga Contest's Weekly Perfection Theme 'Lock'.

**Information Minus The Information**

Inuyasha gasped while Sesshomaru looked slightly more interested then before. He had told her to return? He had no remembrance of that event. He had not even seen their ragtag group for weeks prior to the gruesome battle where she had been injured. So how was it that he could have _told_ her to return. Kagome watched Sesshomaru's reaction closely. She couldn't believe that the Sesshomaru she had just left in her time was the same demon standing a few feet away from her now. He didn't look a _day_ older, the same handsome demon as always. She quickly locked _that_ thought away and remembered why he had sent her back. The 'older' Sesshomaru had been very specific in what he wanted her to say to his younger self.

"You wanted me to tell you not to attempt what you were thinking before." Kagome said softly, knowing he would hear and thought about how ridiculous she sounded.

At first she had been amazed at how someone could remember what they had been thinking five _hundred_ years before, but she didn't ask questions.

"What do you mean _he_ told you?" Inuyasha hissed.

"There's a Sesshomaru in my time too." Kagome explained.


End file.
